Miltank (Update)

<p>Miltank has basically been doing the same job since her first appearance: supporting her teammates with her great supportive moves. In BW RU, Miltank's mission has barely changed, as she is still one of the best supportive Normal-types down in the lower tiers. With access to Heal Bell and Stealth Rock, Miltank can provide valuable entry hazard and cleric support to almost any team in need of it. Miltank also has great stats to work with, boasting 95 / 105 / 70 defenses that allow her to take on a huge variety of offensive threats in the tier. Miltank has access to a reliable recovery move in Milk Drink to further increase her defensive capabilities as well. Her great base 100 Speed is also a great aid, as it allows her to outspeed key threats such as Absol and Emboar with minimal EV investment, and either restore her health or attack the opponent before taking a hit. It doesn't stop there. Miltank is one of the few Pokemon blessed with three great abilities, each with their pros and cons. Thick Fat makes Miltank resist Fire- and Ice-type moves, which is great for teammates who struggle with hail teams or Fire-types. Sap Sipper makes Grass-types and Smeargle easier to deal with, as Miltank can now absorb any incoming Grass-type move and receive an Attack boost in return, making her hit a little harder at the same time. Miltank has access to Scrappy as well, another great ability, but the benefits from the other two abilities are more beneficial for Miltank than the ability to hit Ghost-types with her STAB moves. Despite her great defensive traits, Miltank still has her fair share of letdowns. A Normal typing is not the best defensive typing, as it doesn't give Miltank any useful resistances other than Ghost, while she has a crippling Fighting-type weakness. Her abilities do give extra resistances and immunities to Fire-, Ice-, and Grass-type moves, respectively, but not all three at once. Miltank also faces stiff competition from Clefable in the supportive role, as Clefable has access to the same moves, as well as Magic Guard and Wish on top of that. Despite this, Miltank still pulls of her defensive role with great success, and while she does face competition from other Normal-types, Miltank has her own advantages over the competition. Miltank isn't limited to going on the defensive, as with Sap Sipper and great natural bulk, she can put a hurting on the opposing team with her decent Attack stat and powerful moves.</p>

<p>With the prevalence of hail teams, dangerous Fire-types such as Moltres, and potent special attackers such as Sceptile, specially defensive Miltank is the most useful despite her higher Defense stat. This is due to her great abilities that give her resistances or an immunity to some of the most common special moves in the tier, which Pokemon such as Clefable would die for. Stealth Rock is the most vital move that Miltank brings to the table, as it is a great move to wear down incoming Pokemon for any team; what sets her apart from Clefable is her higher Speed stat, and with that, higher insurance of getting Stealth Rock up on the field. Milk Drink gives Miltank her much needed recovery move, while Body Slam is a great offensive move for Miltank to use; not only does it prevent Miltank from becoming completely shut down by Taunt, it also has a nice 30% chance to paralyze the foe, basically eliminating the need for Thunder Wave completely. The last move of choice basically comes down to what the team needs. If status is a major hindrance for your team's sweepers and other defensive Pokemon, Heal Bell is another great support move to use to remove any unwanted status. If there is minimal need of cleric support from Heal Bell, Earthquake is a useful move for Miltank to use against Pokemon such as Entei, Aggron, Lanturn, Magneton, and Emboar; with Earthquake, some of these Pokemon become much easier to deal with for Miltank, as Body Slam might not cut it most of the time.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Seismic Toss is a great option to deal more consistent damage against Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon, as well as Pokemon such as Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie, to name a few. Thunder Wave and Toxic can also find their uses to give the team some additional support. Thunder Wave allows Miltank to cripple opposing sweepers, allowing Miltank to outspeed them and heal herself before taking a hit. Thunder Wave also helps slightly slower sweepers on Miltank's team in their sweeping. On the other hand, Toxic helps in breaking down bulkier foes such as Slowking. The choice between Thick Fat and Sap Sipper depends solely on what threats you want Miltank to handle for your team. If your team has trouble with hail and the various Fire-types in the tier, Thick Fat is the most optimal option. For example, even Modest Choice Specs Glaceon fails to 2HKO Miltank. However, if Grass-types are the bane of the team, then Sap Sipper is the better choice. Sap Sipper also makes Miltank a great answer to Smeargle and Amoonguss, who become less prone to throw Spore around. The EV spread is tailored for Miltank to be faster than Pokemon such as Adamant Absol, Timid Glaceon, and Jolly Emboar, which allows her to restore her HP before taking a second hit, while Miltank can also hit back if given the chance. Despite Miltank's great bulk, some powerful special moves, such as Moltres's Hurricane, can 2HKO her, so be careful switching her in. This also applies to Pokemon commonly using Focus Blast for coverage, such as Typhlosion, Sceptile, and Tangrowth; all three 2HKO Miltank with Focus Blast. A faster EV spread of 252 HP / 80 SpD / 176 Spe with a Jolly nature can also be used, as it allows Miltank to outspeed key threats such as Entei and Moltres. While not the most optimal EV spread, it can still be effective due to Miltank's natural bulk and Thick Fat, specifically against hail teams.</p>

<p>Miltank can also fit pretty well on a hail team herself, as Thick Fat gives her resistance to both Fire- and Ice-type moves. This allows her to take on some of the greater threats against hail teams, such as Entei and Cryogonal, while at the same time providing support through Stealth Rock and Heal Bell. Miltank is a good fit on most teams in general. Basically, if your team need the support she provides, for example a Grass-type immunity or a Stealth Rock setter, she will most likely fit. Water-types such as Poliwrath, Feraligatr, and Kabutops, who struggle with Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Amoonguss, appreciate Miltank's ability to absorb their Grass-type moves. Other fast sweepers who are crippled by Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Spore coming from these Pokemon also benefit from Miltank's Sap Sipper. The same goes for Grass- and Steel-types when Miltank is using Thick Fat. Fire-types such as Entei can't break through, giving Pokemon such as Tangrowth and Escavalier a little more breathing space. While some Fire-types have super effective coverage against Miltank, such as Typhlosion and Magmortar with Focus Blast and Emboar with Superpower, they have to rely on Focus Blast's shaky accuracy, and in Emboar's case, Choice Scarf to outspeed Miltank. In tandem with this, Ghost-types help Miltank out a lot, as they are immune to Miltank's sole weakness to Fighting-type moves. When it comes to selecting a Ghost-types, four come to mind: Rotom, Spiritomb, Golurk, and Misdreavus. Rotom and Spiritomb are pretty straightforward choices as what they are using doesn't really matter to Miltank; however, Choice Band versions of Spiritomb are especially efficient at handling Fighting-types, more specifically Gallade and Medicham. Golurk and Misdreavus aren't as commonly used, but they pair well with Miltank in more ways than just covering her weakness. Golurk is a excellent user of Stealth Rock as well, which relieves Miltank of a move slot. Misdreavus works in the same way, as it has access to Heal Bell. On the plus side, Misdreavus also commonly takes on a physically defensive role, complementing Miltank's specially defensive nature. As a last note, a fully physically defensive spread of 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 Spe with an Impish nature can work, allowing Miltank to handle physically offensive threats, such as Entei and Sceptile, more easily. However, Miltank will struggle to survive against powerhouses such as Aggron, Escavalier, and Durant without a proper response. If this is something you want to try, and you want something to hit Escavalier and Durant with, Fire Punch is your best bet. Fire Punch allows Miltank to 2HKO both of them; however, Durant has the possibility to OHKO Miltank in return with Superpower, so beware.</p>

<p>While Miltank is often seen on the defensive, she is no slouch on the offensive. Her great Speed stat combined with Sap Sipper and high-powered moves make Miltank a potent threat. With Grass-type moves such as Spore, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed being very common in the tier, gaining an Attack boost is not a hard task. Miltank also sits at a comfortable base 100 Speed stat, allowing her to outspeed Pokemon such as Moltres, Sigilyph, and Adamant Entei, while she Speed ties with Typhlosion and other base 100 Speed Pokemon. Double-Edge is Miltank's best choice when it comes to a STAB move, as the high Base Power of the move makes Miltank hit extremely hard after a boost. However, Double-Edge has a drawback in that recoil damage will wear Miltank down faster, making Return a good substitute if you want Miltank to last longer. Earthquake rounds out Miltank's coverage well, hitting the Steel- and Rock-types that resist her STAB move for super effective damage, with the exception of Aerodactyl, Archeops, Rotom, and Misdreavus. Milk Drink works great in tandem with Miltank's natural bulk and the fact that it will recover all recoil damage she receives from Double-Edge and Life Orb.</p>

<p>When it comes to Miltank's last move, it really should be tailored to what your team needs or what Miltank's teammates can cover for her. Heal Bell keeps Miltank free from crippling status such as burn and paralysis, which would otherwise make her offensive presence more or less non-existent. At the same time, she is keeping her teammates free from status as well. Fire Punch is great offensive option to widen Miltank's coverage, making the two offensive monsters Escavalier and Durant much easier to deal with. Escavalier is 2HKOed by Fire Punch without an Attack boost, while it is OHKOed by Miltank at +1. Durant is OHKOed regardless. Fire Punch is mostly used to handle Escavalier as Durant is faster than Miltank, but Fire Punch can nail it on a predicted switch. Stealth Rock is a viable option if your team is in need of a fast setter, or if the team is pressed for a slot for the move. Both Heal Bell and Fire Punch are more helpful for Miltank herself as they cover one huge obstacle for her each, so Stealth Rock should only be considered if you really need it.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ice Punch is the next best thing when it comes to coverage for Miltank. Ice Punch allows Miltank to hit Golurk, who is immune to Double-Edge and takes neutral damage by Miltank's other moves, for super effective damage. However, due to Golurk's great bulk, it is only 2HKOed at best when it has heavy HP investment (which it usually does), while a 4 HP / 0 Def Golurk is only OHKOed 50% of the time at full health. It's a shaky option, but it can still be useful and can come in handy if Miltank's teammates can cover up the lack of coverage on other Pokemon. Due to its ability and desire to absorb incoming Grass-type moves, Miltank pairs well with Water- and Ground-type Pokemon. Rock-types also benefit from this, but the majority of the Rock-types in the tier, like Aggron and Aerodactyl, are neutral to Grass. Good examples of these types of Pokemon are Kabutops, Omastar, Poliwrath, Qwilfish, Golurk, and Regirock, who more or less have a hard time against the common Grass-types Tangrowth, Sceptile, Lilligant, Amoonguss, and Ferroseed. Several of these Pokemon can also provide useful or even vital support back to Miltank. For example, Qwilfish, Omastar, and Regirock can set up Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock, respectively, to wear down the opposing Pokemon, making it easier for Miltank to take down defensive behemoths such as Tangrowth and Alomomola by pushing them into 2HKO range. Pokemon such as Poliwrath and Golurk cover key threats for Miltank thanks to their good typings; Poliwrath takes attacks from Escavalier with ease if Miltank lacks Fire Punch, while Golurk patches up Miltank's sole Fighting-type weakness, being able to take on most Fighting-types such as Unburden Hitmonlee and Choice Scarf Medicham reliably.</p>

<p>Teammates that can patch up the holes that Miltank's moves leave are essential. The first weaknesses to cover are Rotom and the less common Misdreavus. These two flat-out wall Miltank even if she carries Fire Punch; however, this is only true for the bulky Rotom set, as the more common Choice Scarf and SubSplit sets are 2HKOed by Fire Punch at +1. Both the bulky version of Rotom and Misdreavus are impossible for Miltank to take down, due to their good bulk, Will-O-Wisp, and Pain Split. To free Miltank from these two, it is best to use Dark-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Absol. They can quickly take down any opposing Ghost-type with their powerful Dark-type moves and Pursuit trapping abilities. Opposing Spiritomb are a little harder to take down due to their bulk and lack of weaknesses, and they are much easier to deal with by wearing them down with status. Pokemon such as standard defensive Slowking and Tangrowth should have no trouble with this. Choice Scarf-wielding Fighting-types such as Medicham and Emboar, as well as Unburden Hitmonlee, are huge, huge threats due to their greater Speed. Bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types are the most reliable answers, with the aforementioned Slowking, Spiritomb, and Golurk, as well as Uxie, Musharna, and Mesprit, being the best to choose from. These Pokemon together with Gallade and Medicham can also reliably take on bulkier Fighting-types such as Poliwrath and Hariyama who can give Miltank trouble as well, as she can only 2HKO these two at best. If Miltank lacks Fire Punch, strong Fire-types and bulky Water-types can help her take down Escavalier, Durant, and Ferroseed, respectively. Moltres, Entei, and Emboar can easily KO these three. While Moltres and Entei can't outspeed Durant for the KO and must watch out for Rock Slide, Choice Scarf Emboar can outspeed and make quick work of it. Poliwrath and Alomomola are the best choices for a bulky Water-type when it comes to dealing with Durant and Escavalier. Due to their sheer bulk and resistances to Durant and Escavalier Steel-type STAB, and in Poliwrath's case, their Bug-type STAB as well, Alomomola and Poliwrath will be almost impossible for them to take down. They can also cover roadblocks such as Steelix, which can be hard for Miltank to take down as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>The first thing that comes to mind when one looks at Miltank's other options is the combination of Curse and Scrappy. Curse boosts Miltank's Attack and Defense, and Scrappy allows her to hit Ghost-types with her STAB moves. While this might look good on paper due to the combination of Curse, Milk Drink, and Heal Bell making her impossible to take down without a strong special attack, it is not in practice. The amount of support Miltank will need for this set to work is huge, and the amounts of boosts she will need to be threatening are hard to obtain and it is not hard to stop her from setting up. In short, Curse + Scrappy Miltank is way too situational to be worth the trouble. Rock Slide is a nice move for the Mootility set to instantly KO Moltres after it has taken Stealth Rock damage; otherwise, it is a 2HKO. However, it will be hard to find room for Rock Slide as the moves already mentioned above are far more usable than a move for one specific threat. When it comes to the Moofensive set, Double-Edge and Return will get the same job done. Miltank also has several other physical moves available to her, such as Zen Headbutt and ThunderPunch, but most of them are redundant in coverage while Double-Edge will do more damage most of the time. Much like other supportive Pokemon, Miltank has access to Rain Dance and Sunny Day and can effectively give weather support to a team. In combination with Stealth Rock and Heal Bell, it will be very useful support for most weather-based teams, but for those types of teams only. Block is a very, very gimmicky option that can help in trapping a frailer opponent for a Pursuit user to KO. Counter is another gimmick, but can definitely catch physically offensive beasts such as Aggron and Escavalier for a surprise KO. However, it can't be stressed enough how situational these two moves are compared to the more useful moves that have been mentioned. Counter can't even be used with Sap Sipper either. Much like any other Normal-type, Miltank's movepool is filled with strong special moves such as Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, and Focus Blast. Miltank even has Work Up to boost its Special Attack; however, Miltank's Special Attack lies at a pitiful base 40, which makes a special attacking set impossible to pull off.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>When it comes to taking Miltank down, there are several good candidates despite her good traits (Speed and bulk); however, some Pokemon can only handle one of Miltank's two sets. Fighting-types are the biggest threats to both defensive and offensive Miltank. The likes of Gallade, Hitmonlee, and Medicham have no trouble OHKOing the Mootility set with their Fighting-type moves. The Moofensive set, however, is a tougher nut to crack for the Fighting-types. Due to Miltank's high Speed stat, no Fighting-type in the RU tier can outspeed her without the aid of a Choice Scarf. To make matters worse, Miltank can OHKO the frailer Fighting-types, such as Gallade and Hitmonlee, with Double-Edge even without a boost most of the time. Medicham and Emboar, who often wield a Choice Scarf, can outspeed and OHKO Miltank with ease though, and the same applies for Hitmonlee who has activated Unburden. Other, faster Pokemon with strong Fighting-type moves can also threaten Miltank in a similar manner. Special attackers such as Sceptile and Typhlosion can use Focus Blast to 2HKO any defensive version of Miltank, while easily OHKOing offensive ones. Misdreavus and Rotom give any Miltank trouble, as their typing and ability make them immune to the combination of Body Slam / Double-Edge / Return + Earthquake, which means Miltank can't touch them. While Miltank can hit them with Fire Punch, bulky versions of Rotom are only 3HKOed while Misdreavus is only 4HKOed at +1. On top of that, they both have access to both Will-O-Wisp and Pain Split, making it impossible for Miltank to beat them. Spiritomb functions in a similar way, except it can be hit by Earthquake. However, despite being hit by Earthquake, Spiritomb's bulk and access to Will-O-Wisp make taking it down a hard task for Miltank, as it can't do anything but 3HKO the defensive versions if it can avoid being burned. Choice Band versions of Spiritomb can even Trick their item to Miltank, shutting down Mootility versions completely.</p>

<p>Durant is a huge threat to all Miltank as well. Durant's Superpower will OHKO both the specially defensive version and the offensive version of Miltank; Durant is faster than Miltank as well, so Miltank can't hit it first either. However, Durant must be careful of Fire Punch, as offensive versions of Miltank can OHKO it on a predicted switch or if Durant tries to set up with Hone Claws and Miltank stays in. Escavalier will also give Miltank trouble. Miltank can barely scratch Escavalier without Fire Punch, even with Earthquake. However, if Miltank does carry Fire Punch, Escavalier will need to make sure Miltank has taken damage beforehand as Escavalier does 95% at most with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn; otherwise, it will get 2HKOed by Fire Punch. Aggron is another offensive behemoth that gives Miltank trouble. Its Choice Band-boosted Head Smash can OHKO specially defensive versions of Miltank after Stealth Rock, while the rare physically defensive ones are 2HKOed. What Aggron needs to watch out for is Earthquake, as Miltank can 2HKO it, meaning Aggron needs to be careful switching in. Moltres is another huge threat to Miltank. Despite Miltank's specially defensive nature, a Life Orb-boosted Hurricane can still easily 2HKO her if it hits. Flamethrower won't be much of a nuisance, especially if Miltank has Thick Fat, while Moltres needs to be wary of paralysis from Body Slam and stray Rock Slides. Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie can easily take advantage of defensive Miltank's lack of power and set up with Calm Mind without any trouble. However, if Miltank does use Seismic Toss, it will be more troublesome for Uxie to set up on her. The offensive version of Miltank has trouble with certain physically bulky threats. While Miltank can take advantage of Tangrowth's Grass-type moves, Miltank still has a hard time against it. Double-Edge can barely 2HKO Tangrowth with Stealth Rock on the field, resulting in 3HKOs more often than 2HKOs. The same premise applies to Alomomola as well, except it doesn't have any moves that Miltank can take advantage of and Alomomola can even burn her with Scald. Steelix is another troublesome foe, despite Miltank's access to Earthquake. Miltank can only 3HKO Steelix at +1 with Earthquake, while Steelix has no trouble wearing Miltank down with Gyro Ball and Life Orb recoil and can even resort to phazing Miltank out. Poliwrath, while 2HKOed by Double-Edge at +1, is still a solid answer as it can phaze Miltank out with Circle Throw. If Miltank lacks a boost from Sap Sipper, the four aforementioned Pokemon will outright beat Miltank.</p>

This skeleton is based on the current metagame with Nidoqueen and hail, and if any of these would be banned, it's easy to change. I could've waited a week for the vote, but I wanted some opinions about the sets etc. now instead. Plus, I've held on this far too long.

I've been talking to Molk about the defensive versions of Miltank, and we both agreed specially defensive is the better version, even w/o Nidoqueen and/or hail present; Moltres, Magmortar, Typhlosion, Lilligant to name a few are handled by Miltank more or less. Entei is dealt with with either spread thanks to Thick Fat.

I put the Curse + Scrappy set in OO. I personally think that set is too situational in RU to be derserving of a set in the analysis. It works, but only in certain situations. I asked both Molk and DittoCrow about their thoughts on it, and DC agreed on OO, while Molk hasn't decided yet.

I might have forgotten some teammates for each set and some Pokemon for the C&C, so help is appreciated. I have a heard time figuring out that kind of stuff when writing, even if I've used the Pokémon in question a lot. It comes to me afterwards instead...

Scrappy should be slashed into Moofensive too. I definitely agree Sap Sipper is more useful, but easier spamming of STAB attacks is reason enough to include it. Specifically you nail Rotom-N and Misdreavus, the former being fairly common, and as such should be listed in Checks and Counters

Scrappy should be slashed into Moofensive too. I definitely agree Sap Sipper is more useful, but easier spamming of STAB attacks is reason enough to include it. Specifically you nail Rotom-N and Misdreavus, the former being fairly common, and as such should be listed in Checks and Counters

Click to expand...

I'm a bit unsure about slashing Scrappy. I'd rather have a teammate cover those two, and then have that potetial +1 Attack boost (which can be rather easy to get); Miltank is rather weak without it. Maybe I could put in AC or OO, I'll let QC say what they think.

Also, added Rotom. A Pokémon that annoys me so much, but went completely under the radar when I wrote this. Thanks.

Mention a faster spread for the Mootility set and Seismic Toss for damaging Steel- and Rock-types. A Jolly nature with 252 HP / 80 SpD / 176 Spe outspeeds Moltres and Entei and still does well vs hail teams due to the bulk.

Spiritomb is another good Ghost-type check since it can burn or Trick Miltank, making it much easier to deal with. SubCM Uxie is pretty troublesome for Miltank, as it can set up on the defensive set (if lacking Seismic Toss) and KO with Psyshock. Durant is also a good check.

Is it worth mentioning an Adamant nature on the Moofensive set? I know you Speed tie with neutral base 100s that way, but I don't think there's much inbetween positive base 86's and her—well, SubSplit Rotom but that's out of the question lol, also most Lilligant run Modest anyway—. The damage output really makes her a bit better, and outside of losing the ability to always outspeed Entei, she should be fine.
Also, you say she handles Entei, couldn't Thick Fat be AC'd to be able to actually switch into its Flare Blitzes... There's little point in mentioning that otherwise, imo.

Ruiner of Alph

Hide(Move your mouse to the hide area to reveal the content)Show HideHide Hide

[Overview]

<p>Miltank has basically been doing the same job since her first appearance: supporting her teammates with her great supportive moves. In BW RU, Miltank's mission has barely changed, as she is still one of the best supportive Normal-types down in the lower tiers. With access to Heal Bell and Stealth Rock, Miltank can provide valuable entry hazard and cleric support to almost any team in need of it. Miltank also has great stats to work with, boasting 95 / 105 / 70 defenses which that allow her to take on a huge variety of offensive threats in the tier. Miltank has access to a reliable recovery move in Milk Drink to further increase her defensive capabilities as well. Her great base 100 Speed is also a great aid, as it allows her to outspeed key threats such as Absol and Emboar with minimal EV investment, and either restore her health or attack the opponent before taking a hit. It doesn't stop there. Miltank is one of the few Pokemon blessed with three great abilities, each with their pros and cons. Thick Fat makes Miltank resist Fire- and Ice-type moves, which is great for teammates who struggle with hail teams or Fire-types. Sap Sipper makes Grass-types and Smeargle easier to deal with, as Miltank can now absorb any incoming Grass-type move and receive an Attack boost in return, making her hit a little harder at the same time.(You mentioned 3 great abilities but left out any mention of Scrappy) However, despite her great defensive traits, Miltank still has her fair share of letdowns. A Normal typing is not the best defensive typing, as it doesn't give Miltank any useful resistances other than Ghost, while she has a crippling Fighting-type weakness. Her abilities does give extra resistances and immunities to Fire-, Ice-, and Grass-type moves, respectively, but not all three at once. Miltank also faces stiff competition from Clefable in the supportive role, as Clefable has access to the same moves, as well as Magic Guard and Wish on top of that. Despite this, Miltank still pulls of her defensive role with great success, and while she does face competition from other Normal-types, Miltank has her own advantages over the competition. Miltank isn't limited to going on the defensive, as with Sap Sipper and great natural bulk, she can put a hurting on the opposing team with her decent Attack stat and powerful moves.</p>

<p>With the prevalence of hail teams, dangerous Fire-types such as Moltres, and potent special attackers such as Sceptile, specially defensive Miltank is the most useful despite her higher Defense stat. This is due to her great abilities that give her resistances or an immunity to some of the most common special moves in the tier,(AC) whichthat Pokemon such as Clefable would die for. Stealth Rock is the most vital move that Miltank brings to the table, as it is a great move to wear down incoming Pokemon for any team; what sets her apart from Clefable is her higher Speed stat, and with that, higher insurance of getting Stealth Rock up on the field. Milk Drink gives Miltank her much needed recovery move, while Body Slam is a great offensive move for Miltank to use; not only does it prevent Miltank from becoming completely shut down by Taunt, it also has a nice 30% chance to paralyze the foe, basically eliminating the need for Thunder Wave completely. The last move of choice basically comes down to what the team needs. If status is a major hindrance for your team's sweepers and other defensive Pokemon, Heal Bell is another great support move to use to remove any unwanted status. If there is minimal need of cleric support from Heal Bell, Earthquake is a useful move for Miltank to use against Pokemon such as Entei, Aggron, Lanturn, Magneton, and Emboar; with Earthquake, some of these Pokemon become much easier to deal with for Miltank, as Body Slam might not cut it most of the time.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Seismic Toss is a great option to deal more consistent damage against Pokemon such as Steelix and Rhydon, as well as Pokemon such as Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie, to name a few. Thunder Wave and Toxic can also find their uses to give the team some additional support. Thunder Wave allows Miltank to cripple opposing sweepers, allowing Miltank to outspeed them and heal herself before taking a hit. Thunder Wave also helps slightly slower sweepers on Miltank's team in their sweeping. On the other hand, Toxic helps in breaking down bulkier foes such as Slowking. The choice between Thick Fat and Sap Sipper depends solely on what threats you want Miltank to handle for your team. If your team has trouble with hail and the various Fire-types in the tier, Thick Fat is the most optimal option. For example, even Modest Choice Specs Glaceon fails to 2HKO Miltank. However, if Grass-types are the bane of the team, then Sap Sipper is the better choice. Sap Sipper also makes Miltank a great answer to Smeargle and Amoonguss, who become less prone to throw Spore around. The EV spread is tailored for Miltank to be faster than Pokémon such as Adamant Absol, Timid Glaceon, and Jolly Emboar, which allows her to restore her HP before taking a second hit, while Miltank can also hit back if given the chance. Despite Miltank's great bulk, some powerful special moves, such as Moltres's Hurricane, can 2HKO her so be careful switching her in. This also applies to Pokemon commonly using Focus Blast for coverage, such as Typhlosion, Sceptile, and Tangrowth; all three 2HKO Miltank with Focus Blast. A faster EV spread of 252 HP / 80 SpD / 176 Spe with a Jolly nature can also be used, as it allows Miltank to outspeed key threats such as Entei and Moltres. While not the most optimal EV spread, it can still be effective due to Miltank's natural bulk and Thick Fat, specifically against hail teams.</p>

<p>Miltank can also fit pretty well on a hail team herself, as Thick Fat gives her resistance to both Fire- and Ice-type moves. This allows her to take on some of the greater threats against hail teams, such as Entei and Cryogonal, while at the same time she provides providing support through Stealth Rock and Heal Bell. Miltank is a good fit on most teams in general. Basically, if your team need the support she provides, for example a Grass-type immunity or a Stealth Rock setter, she will most likely fit. Water-types such as Poliwrath, Feraligatr, and Kabutops, who struggle with Grass-types such as Tangrowth and Amoonguss, appreciate Miltank's ability to absorb their Grass-type moves. Other fast sweepers who are crippled by Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Spore coming from these Pokemon also benefit from Miltank's Sap Sipper. The same goes for Grass- and Steel-types when Miltank is using Thick Fat. Fire-types such as Entei can't break through, giving Pokemon such as Tangrowth and Escavalier a little more breathing space. While some Fire-types have super effective coverage against Miltank, such as Typhlosion and Magmortar with Focus Blast and Emboar with Superpower, they have to rely on Focus Blast's shaky accuracy, and in Emboar's case, Choice Scarf to outspeed Miltank. In tandem with this, Ghost-types help Miltank out a lot, as they are immune to Miltank's sole weakness to Fighting-type moves. When it comes to selecting a Ghost-types, four come to mind: Rotom, Spiritomb, Golurk, and Misdreavus. Rotom and Spirirtomb are pretty straightforward choices as what they are using doesn't really matter to Miltank; however, Choice Band versions of Spiritomb are especially efficient at handling Fighting-types, more specifically Gallade and Medicham. Golurk and Misdreavus aren't as commonly used, but they pair well with Miltank in more ways than just covering her weakness. Golurk is a excellent user of Stealth Rock as well, which relieves Miltank of a move slot. Misdreavus works in the same way, as it has access to Heal Bell. On the plus side, Misdreavus also commonly dons a physically defensive role, complementing Miltank's specially defensive nature. As a last note, a fully physically defensive spread of 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 Spe with an Impish nature can work, allowing Miltank to handle physically offensive threats, such as Entei and Sceptile, more easily. However, Miltank will struggle to survive against powerhouses such as Aggron, Escavalier, and Durant without a proper response. If this is something you want to try, and you want something to hit Escavalier and Durant with, Fire Punch is your best bet. Fire Punch allows Miltank to 2HKO both of them; however, Durant has the possibility to OHKO Miltank in return with Superpower, so beware.</p>

<p>While Miltank is often seen on the defensive, she is no slouch on the offensive. Her great Speed stat combined with Sap Sipper and high-powered moves make Miltank a potent threat. With Grass-type moves such as Spore, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed being very common in the tier, gaining an Attack boost is not a hard task. Miltank also sits at a comfortable base 100 base Speed stat, allowing her to outspeed Pokemon such as Moltres, Sigilyph, and Adamant Entei, while she Speed ties with Typhlosion and other base 100 Speed Pokémon. Double-Edge is Miltank's best choice when it comes to a STAB move, as the high Base Power of the move makes Miltank hit extremely hard after a boost. However, Double-Edge has a drawback in that recoil damage will wear Miltank down faster, making Return a good substitute if you want Miltank to last longer. Earthquake rounds out Miltank's coverage well, hitting the Steel- and Rock-types that resist her STAB move for super effective damage, with the exception of Aerodactyl, Archeops, Rotom, and Misdreavus. Milk Drink works great in tandem with Miltank's natural bulk and the fact that it will recover all recoil damage she receives from Double-Edge and Life Orb.</p>

<p>When it comes to Miltank's last move, it really should be tailored to what your team needs or what Miltank's teammates can cover for her. Heal Bell keeps Miltank free from crippling status such as burn and paralysis, which would otherwise make her offensive presence more or less non-existent. At the same time,(AC) she is keeping her teammates free from status as well. Fire Punch is great offensive option to widen Miltank's coverage, making the two offensive monsters Escavalier and Durant much easier to deal with. Escavalier is 2HKOed by Fire Punch without an Attack boost, while it is OHKOed by Miltank at +1. Durant is OHKOed regardless. Fire Punch is mostly used to handle Escavalier as Durant is faster than Miltank, but Fire Punch can nail it on a predicted switch. Stealth Rock is a viable option if your team is in need of a fast setter, or if the team is pressed of for a slot for the move. Both Heal Bell and Fire Punch are more helpful for Miltank herself as they cover one huge obstacle for her each, so Stealth Rock should only be considered if you really need it.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ice Punch is next best thing when it comes to coverage for Miltank. Ice Punch allows Miltank to hit Golurk for super effective damage, who is immune to Double-Edge and takes neutral damage by Miltank's other moves. However, due to Golurk's great bulk, it is only 2HKOed at best when it has heavy HP investment (which it usually does), while a 4 HP / 0 Def Golurk is only OHKOed 50% of the time at full health. It's a shaky option, but it can still be useful and can come in handy if Miltank's teammates can cover up the lack of coverage on other Pokemon. Due to its ability and desire to absorb incoming Grass-type moves, Miltank pairs well with Water- and Ground-type Pokemon. Rock-types also benefit from this, but the majority of the Rock-types in the tier, like Aggron and Aerodactyl, are neutral to Grass. Good examples of these types of Pokemon are Kabutops, Omastar, Poliwrath, Qwilfish, Golurk, and Regirock, who more or less have a hard time against the common Grass-types Tangrowth, Sceptile, Lilligant, Amoonguss, and Ferroseed. Several of these Pokemon can also provide useful or even vital support back to Miltank. For example, Qwilfish, Omastar, and Regirock can set up Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock, respectively,(this makes it sound like Qwilfish just gets Spikes and Omastar just gets Toxic Spikes) to wear down the opposing Pokemon, making it easier for Miltank to take down defensive behemoths such as Tangrowth and Alomomola by pushing them into 2HKO range. Pokemon like Poliwrath and Golurk cover key threats for Miltank thanks to their good typings; Poliwrath takes attacks from Escavalier with ease if Miltank lacks Fire Punch, while Golurk patches up Miltank's sole Fighting-type weakness, being able to take on most Fighting-types such as Unburden Hitmonlee and Choice Scarf Medicham reliably.</p>

<p>Teammates that can patch up the holes that Miltank's moves leave are essential. The first weaknesses to cover are Rotom and the less common Misdreavus. These two flat-out wall Miltank even if she carries Fire Punch; however, this is only true for the bulky Rotom set,(AC) as the more common Choice Scarf and SubSplit sets are 2HKOed by Fire Punch at +1. Both the bulky version of Rotom and Misdreavus are impossible for Miltank to take down, due to their good bulk, Will-O-Wisp, and Pain Split. To alleviate Miltank from these two, it is best to use Dark-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Absol. They can quickly take down any opposing Ghost-type with their powerful Dark-type moves and Pursuit trapping abilities. Opposing Spiritomb are a little harder to take down due to their bulk and lack of weaknesses, and is they are much easier to deal with by wearing them down with status. Pokemon such as standard defensive Slowking and Tangrowth should have no trouble with this. Choice Scarf-wielding Fighting-types such as Medicham and Emboar, as well as Unburden Hitmonlee,(AC) are huge, huge threats due to their greater Speed. Bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types are the most reliable answers, with the aforementioned Slowking, Spiritomb, and Golurk, as well as Uxie, Musharna, and Mesprit, being the best to choose from. These Pokemon together with Gallade and Medicham can also reliably take on bulkier Fighting-types such as Poliwrath and Hariyama who can give Miltank trouble as well, as she can only 2HKO these two at best. If Miltank lacks Fire Punch, strong Fire-types and bulky Water-types can help her take down Escavalier, Durant, and Ferroseed, respectively. Moltres, Entei, and Emboar can easily KO these three. While Moltres and Entei can't outspeed Durant for the KO and must watch out for Rock Slide, Choice Scarf Emboar can outspeed and make quick work of it. Poliwrath and Alomomola are the best choices for a bulky Water-type when it comes to dealing with Durant and Escavalier. Due to their sheer bulk and resistances to Durant and Escavalier Steel-type STAB, and in Poliwrath's case, their Bug-type STAB as well, Alomomola and Poliwrath will be almost impossible for them to take down. They can also cover roadblocks such as Steelix that can be hard for Miltank to take down as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>The first thing that comes to mind when one looks at Miltank's other options is the combination of Curse and Scrappy. Curse that boosts Miltank's Attack and Defense, and Scrappy that allows her to hit Ghost-types with her STAB moves. While this might look good on paper due to the combination of Curse, Milk Drink, and Heal Bell making her impossible to take down without a strong special attack, it is not in practice. The amount of support Miltank will need for this set to work is huge, and the amounts of boosts she will need to be threatening are hard to obtain and it is not hard to stop her from setting up. In short, Curse + Scrappy Miltank is way too situational to be worth the trouble. Rock Slide is a nice move for the Mootility set to instantly KO Moltres after it has taken Stealth Rock damage;(semi) otherwise,(AC) it is a 2HKO. However, it will be hard to find room for Rock Slide as the moves already mentioned above are far more usable than a move for one specific threat. When it comes to the Moofensive set, Double-Edge and Return will get the same job done. Miltank also has several other physical moves available to her, such as Zen Headbutt and Thunderpunch, but most of them are redundant in coverage while Double-Edge will do more damage most of the time. Much like other supportive Pokemon, Miltank has access to Rain Dance and Sunny Day and can effectively give weather support to a team. In combination with Stealth Rock and Heal Bell, it will be very useful support for most weather-based teams,(AC) but for those types of teams only. Block is a very, very gimmicky option but that can help in trapping a frailer opponent for a Pursuit user to KO. Counter is another gimmick, but can definitely catch physically offensive beasts such as Aggron and Escavalier for a surprise KO. However, it can't be stressed enough how situational these two moves are compared to the more useful moves that have been mentioned. Counter can't even be used with Sap Sipper either. Much like any other Normal-type, Miltank's movepool is filled with strong special moves such as Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, and Focus Blast. Miltank even has Work Up to boost its Special Attack; however, Miltank's Special Attack lies at a pitiful base 40,(AC) which makes a special attacking set impossible to pull off.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>When it comes to taking Miltank down,(AC) there are several good candidates despite her good traits (Speed and bulk); however, some Pokemon can only handle one of Miltank's two sets. Fighting-types are the biggest threats to both defensive and offensive Miltank. The likes of Gallade, Hitmonlee, and Medicham have no trouble OHKOing the Mootility set with their Fighting-type moves. The Moofensive set, however, is a tougher nut to crack for the Fighting-types. Due to Miltank's high Speed stat, no Fighting-type in the RU tier can outspeed her without the aid of a Choice Scarf. To make matters worse, Miltank can OHKO the frailer Fighting-types, such as Gallade and Hitmonlee, with Double-Edge even without a boost most of the time. Medicham and Emboar,(AC) who often wield a Choice Scarf,(AC) can outspeed and OHKO Miltank with ease though, and the same applies for Hitmonlee who has activated Unburden. Other, faster Pokemon with strong Fighting-type moves can also threaten Miltank in a similar manner. Special attackers such as Sceptile and Typhlosion can use Focus Blast to 2HKO any defensive version of Miltank, while easily OHKOing offensive ones. Misdreavus and Rotom give any Miltank trouble, as their typing and ability make them immune to the combination of Body Slam / Double-Edge / Return + Earthquake,(AC) which means Miltank can't touch them. While Miltank can hit them with Fire Punch, bulky versions of Rotom are only 3HKOed while Misdreavus is only 4HKOed at +1. On top of that,(AC) they both have access to both Will-O-Wisp and Pain Split, making it impossible for Miltank to beat them. Spiritomb functions in a similar way, except it can be hit by Earthquake. However, despite being hit by Earthquake, Spiritomb's bulk and access to Will-O-Wisp makes taking it down a hard task for Miltank, as it and can't do anything but 3HKO the defensive versions if it can avoid being burned. Choice Band versions of Spirirtomb can even Trick their item to Miltank, shutting down Mootility versions completely.</p>

<p>Durant is a huge threat to all Miltank as well. Durant's Superpower will OHKO both the specially defensive version and the offensive version of Miltank; Durant is even faster than Miltank as well, so Miltank can't hit it first either. However, Durant must be careful of Fire Punch, as offensive versions of Miltank can OHKO it on a predicted switch or if Durant tries to set up with Hone Claws and Miltank stays in. Escavalier will also give Miltank trouble. Miltank can barely scratch Escavalier without Fire Punch, even with Earthquake. However, if Miltank does carry Fire Punch, Escavalier will need to make sure Miltank has taken damage beforehand as Escavalier does 95% at most with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn;(semi) otherwise,(AC) it will get 2HKOed by Fire Punch. Aggron is another offensive behemoth that gives Miltank trouble. Its Choice Band-boosted Head Smash can OHKO specially defensive versions of Miltank after Stealth Rock, while the rare physically defensive ones are 2HKOed. What Aggron needs to watch out for is Earthquake, as Miltank can 2HKO it, meaning Aggron needs to be careful switching in. Moltres is another huge threat to Miltank. Despite Miltank's specially defensive nature, a Life Orb-boosted Hurricane can still easily 2HKO her if it hits. Flamethrower won't be much of a nuisance, especially if Miltank has Thick Fat, while Moltres needs to be wary of paralysis from Body Slam and stray Rock Slides. Substitute + Calm Mind Uxie can easily take advantage of defensive Miltank's lack of power and set up with Calm Mind without any trouble. However, if Miltank does use Seismic Toss, it will be more troublesome for Uxie to set up on her. The offensive version of Miltank has trouble with certain physically bulky threats. While Miltank can take advantage of Tangrowth's Grass-type moves, Miltank still has a hard time against it. Double-Edge can barely 2HKO Tangrowth with Stealth Rock on the field, resulting in 3HKOs more often than 2HKOs. The same premise applies to Almomola as well, except it doesn't have any moves that Miltank can take advantage of and Almomola can even burn her with Scald. Steelix is another troublesome foe, despite Miltank's access to Earthquake. Miltank can only 3HKO Steelix at +1 with Earthquake, while Steelix has no trouble wearing Miltank down with Gyro Ball and Life Orb recoil and can even resort to phazing Miltank out. Poliwrath, while 2HKOed by Double-Edge at +1, is still a solid answer as it can phaze Miltank out with Circle Throw. If Miltank lacks a boost from Sap Sipper, the four aforementioned Pokemon will outright beat Miltank.</p>

Miltank has basically been doing the same job since her first appearance: supporting her teammates with her great supportive moves. In BW RU, Miltank's mission has barely changed, as she is still one of the best supportive Normal-types down in the lower tiers. – consider rephrasing this maybe? too much repeating of 'support' imo haha but it's your call

Click to expand...

Miltank is one of the few Pokemon blessed with three great abilities, each with their pros and cons,(comma) with Scrappy being the least viable.

Click to expand...

Miltank has access to Scrappy as well, another great ability, but the benefits from the other two abilities are more beneficalbeneficial for Miltank than the ability to hit Ghost-types with her STAB moves.

The EV spread is tailored for Miltank to be faster than Pokemon such as Adamant Absol

Click to expand...

Despite Miltank's great bulk, some powerful special moves, such as Moltres's Hurricane, can 2HKO her,(comma) so be careful switching her in.

Click to expand...

Rotom and SpirirtombSpiritomb are pretty straightforward choices

Click to expand...

On the plus side, Misdreavus also commonly donstakes on a physically defensive role

Click to expand...

moofensive (first sc / rest ac):

outspeed Pokemon such as Moltres, Sigilyph, and Adamant Entei, while she Speed ties with Typhlosion and other base 100 Speed Pokemon

Click to expand...

Ice Punch is the next best thing when it comes to coverage

Click to expand...

Ice Punch allows Miltank to hit Golurk for super effective damage, who is immune to Double-Edge and takes neutral damage by Miltank's other moves, for super effective damage. However, due to Golurk's great bulk, it is only 2HKOed at best when it has heavy HP investment (which it usually does), while a 4/0 Golurk is only OHKOed 50% of the time

Click to expand...

Rock-types also benefit from this, but the majority of the Rock-types in the tier, likenamely / such as Aggron and Aerodactyl, are neutral to Grass.

Click to expand...

Pokemon likesuch as Poliwrath and Golurk cover key threats for Miltank thanks to their good typings

Click to expand...

To alleviatefree Miltank from these two, it is best to use Dark-type Pokemon such as Spiritomb and Absol.

Click to expand...

They can also cover roadblocks such as Steelix,(comma)thatwhich can be hard for Miltank to take down as well.

Click to expand...

OO:

Miltank also has several other physical moves available to her, such as Zen Headbutt and ThunderPunch

Click to expand...

checks and counters:

Spiritomb's bulk and access to Will-O-Wisp makesmake taking it down a hard task for Miltank

Click to expand...

Choice Band versions of SpirirtombSpiritomb can even Trick their item to Miltank, shutting down Mootility versions completely.

Click to expand...

The same premise applies to AlmomolaAlomomola as well, except it doesn't have any moves that Miltank can take advantage of and AlmomolaAlomomola can even burn her with Scald